Should a Shooting Range Be Allowed Near DIA?

The builders of the Adams County Public Shooting and Sportsman Education Park, which could be built on 60 acres near Denver International Airport, say they are taking every precaution to ensure that airplanes will not be hit by errant bullets. No armor-piercing ammo will be allowed, and there will be no machine-gun fire, they tell The Denver Post.

Still, officials at DIA and the Federal Aviation Administration fear the $7.5 million shooting range, to be located about two miles north of a future runway, raises safety concerns. DIA officials write that “aircraft on approach to the airport would typically be at an altitude of approximately 500 feet above ground level over the proposed shooting ranges.” Moreoever, assessments by the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have concluded that a public shooting range would likely pose a threat to DIA security.

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Nevertheless, Southwest Airlines, which is attempting to purchase AirTran, is seeking to expand its presence at the Denver airport, reports 7News.